Abstract
Month and season of birth are thought to influence height, weight and degree of obesity in schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was designed to measure the height and weight of all children aged 6-15 years attending primary and junior high schools in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Data were standardized (z -scores) and analysed separately by gender and age. The mean z-score for height and weight were the highest in subjects born during the months of spring and the lowest in those born during the months of winter (p <0.0001), whereas the means were significantly higher in children born during the months of summer than in those born during the months of autumn (p <0.0001). A gradually decreasing trend of height and weight was observed in children of both genders born between May and Mar (from spring to winter). There was no significant difference in degree of obesity among the four seasons of birth for boys and girls. The highest prevalence of obese boys have born during spring (among 6-year-old boys) and summer (among 7-year-old boys), whereas the highest prevalence of obese girls have born during spring (among 6-year-old girls) and winter (among 10-year-old girls). Our findings suggest that month and season of birth influence height and weight of schoolchildren in Tokushima but not their degree of obesity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 133-139 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Medical Investigation |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Degree of obesity
- Height
- Month of birth
- Schoolchildren
- Weight
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Cite this
Correlation of month and season of birth with height, weight and degree of obesity of rural Japanese children. / Tanaka, Hisako; Sei, Masako; Binh, Tran Quang; Munakata, Hokuma; Yuasa, Kyoko; Nakahori, Yutaka.
In: Journal of Medical Investigation, Vol. 54, No. 1-2, 02.2007, p. 133-139.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Correlation of month and season of birth with height, weight and degree of obesity of rural Japanese children
AU - Tanaka, Hisako
AU - Sei, Masako
AU - Binh, Tran Quang
AU - Munakata, Hokuma
AU - Yuasa, Kyoko
AU - Nakahori, Yutaka
PY - 2007/2
Y1 - 2007/2
N2 - Month and season of birth are thought to influence height, weight and degree of obesity in schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was designed to measure the height and weight of all children aged 6-15 years attending primary and junior high schools in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Data were standardized (z -scores) and analysed separately by gender and age. The mean z-score for height and weight were the highest in subjects born during the months of spring and the lowest in those born during the months of winter (p <0.0001), whereas the means were significantly higher in children born during the months of summer than in those born during the months of autumn (p <0.0001). A gradually decreasing trend of height and weight was observed in children of both genders born between May and Mar (from spring to winter). There was no significant difference in degree of obesity among the four seasons of birth for boys and girls. The highest prevalence of obese boys have born during spring (among 6-year-old boys) and summer (among 7-year-old boys), whereas the highest prevalence of obese girls have born during spring (among 6-year-old girls) and winter (among 10-year-old girls). Our findings suggest that month and season of birth influence height and weight of schoolchildren in Tokushima but not their degree of obesity.
AB - Month and season of birth are thought to influence height, weight and degree of obesity in schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was designed to measure the height and weight of all children aged 6-15 years attending primary and junior high schools in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Data were standardized (z -scores) and analysed separately by gender and age. The mean z-score for height and weight were the highest in subjects born during the months of spring and the lowest in those born during the months of winter (p <0.0001), whereas the means were significantly higher in children born during the months of summer than in those born during the months of autumn (p <0.0001). A gradually decreasing trend of height and weight was observed in children of both genders born between May and Mar (from spring to winter). There was no significant difference in degree of obesity among the four seasons of birth for boys and girls. The highest prevalence of obese boys have born during spring (among 6-year-old boys) and summer (among 7-year-old boys), whereas the highest prevalence of obese girls have born during spring (among 6-year-old girls) and winter (among 10-year-old girls). Our findings suggest that month and season of birth influence height and weight of schoolchildren in Tokushima but not their degree of obesity.
KW - Degree of obesity
KW - Height
KW - Month of birth
KW - Schoolchildren
KW - Weight
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34247877847&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34247877847&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2152/jmi.54.133
DO - 10.2152/jmi.54.133
M3 - Article
VL - 54
SP - 133
EP - 139
JO - Journal of Medical Investigation
JF - Journal of Medical Investigation
SN - 1343-1420
IS - 1-2
ER -